Keyhole illuminating means



June 16, 1931. I MARTIN 1,810,775

KEYHOLE ILLUMINATING MEANS Filed Aug. 30, 1929 2 Sheets-sheet 2 Loan/21% f 17?, II1IVENT0R.

ATTORNEY.

Patented June 16, 1931 UNITED STATES LOUIS MARTIN, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT mom rnwrirnmrme mans Application filed August 30, 1929. Serial No. 389,572.

The object of this invention is to provide an illuminatin device especially adapted for use on the oors of motor cars, whereby the keyhole may be illuminated uplon ressure bein exerted on the knob or an le. A further object is to rovide a handle for a door of the kind in icated, or of any other character, adapted to be similarly operated, this handle being carried by a spring 0 held shank, so mounted that contacts are closed for an electric circuit thru a lamp mounted within a tubular element, when pressure is a plied to the handle.

With the oregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of elements disclosed, it being un erstood that modifications may be made within the scope of the claimwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings forming part of this application:

Figure 1 is a view of the device in section, as applied to the door of a motor car or the 26 like.

Figure 2 constitutes a section thru the .structure of the door, perpendicularly of the section of Figure 1, with the movable handle in elevation, and the mounting means for the handle.

Figure 3 is a transverse section on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section thru a portion of the door and the adjacent body ortion of the car, showing the completion 0 a circuit thru the door jamb and the door er se.

A fragmentary portion 0 the door of a motor car is designated 10, a portion of the body structure is designated 11, and a battery, or other source of current is shown conventionally at 12. One of the wires 13 from the battery is connected with contact pin or the like 14, and is adapted to engage contact 15 mounted on the door, at the lower edge thereof. Elements 14 and 15 may be supported within rubber blocks or the like such as that shown at 16. The other wire 17 of the-battery is grounded at 18.

The latch spindle 20 has a cam or the like 21 adapted to operate latch 21', and the spindle is carried by tubular element 22 adapted to receive the slidable shank 23 rigidly carried by handle 24.

The handle serves the usual purpose of a door knob or door handle, but in this instance it is slidable longitudinally within tube 22, within limits determined by stop or pin 25 operating in slot 26 in element 22.

A spring 27 surrounds the reduced portion 28 of element 22, and the end portion 00 29 is connected or formed with element 20.

Tube 22 is provided with an opening 22' thru which the rays of lamp 30 are directed toward a keyhole not shown. The element 22 is mounted within the tace plate 33 se- 05 cured at 34, and is held within said plate by spring 27 bearing against stop 27 Lam 30 is mounted within socket 36 and the soc et carries a contact element 3 cooperating with stationar contact 38 connected with lead wire 13 The other contact for the lamp, or the central contact, is designated 38 and cooperates with pin or screw 39 in the reduced end 40 of shank 23.

A ground for the circuit is thus efiected, and 76 it will be noted that spring 42 abuts one end of element 23 and surrounds the reduced portion 40, and also abuts stop 44, so that the handle 24 is normally in an outer position, but upon pressure moves inwardly and 30 closes the circuit at 37-38, thus energizing lamp 30, and providing illumination thru opening 22' for enabling the user to immediately determine the exact position of the keyhole of the latch or lock.

What is claimed is A keyhole illuminating means including a door latch operating shank confined in a door, a tubular member having one end formed on the shank and extending out- 90 wardly of the door, said member provided with a reduced ortion and an opening arranged over the eyhole' of the door, a plate mounted on the reduced portion and secured to the door to limit the movement of the '35 tubular member toward the door, a shoulder on the reduced portion, a sprin between said shoulder and plate to maintain the tub ular member and shank in proper position relative to the door and the latch thereof, a

slidag e shank in the tubular member, a handle o the slidable shank for permitting the rotation of the tubular member by a person for actuating the door latch and to move the slidable shank relative to the tubular member, an electric lamp carried by the slidable shank and positioned adjacent the opening,

contacts associated with the lamp and tubular member and electrically connected to an electrical source to illuminate the lamp when the slidable shank is moved inwardly relative to the tubular member, a stop in the tubular member, and a tension means between said stop and slidable shank to urge the latter in one direction to disconnect the contacts.

In testimony whereof I aflix m signature.

LOUIS ARTIN. 

